WASHINGTON, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For most kids, June is the
start of
summer break
– a time of fun and excitement where they're free to play all day,
every day.
But for more than 22 million children in communities all across the
country,
it also may mean the end of access to nutrient-rich milk
when in-school
free or reduced-price meal programs end.
According to a survey of food banks with Feeding America®, the nation's
largest domestic hunger-relief organization, milk is one of the most requested
items by food bank clients year-round, and especially during the summer
months
when more kids rely on local food banks for nutritious
meals otherwise provided
by in-school programs. But on average, food
banks are only able to provide the
equivalent of less than one gallon
of milk per person per year. That's because
while
Americans are generous with canned and dry goods, many don't think to
donate milk because
it's perishable. That's why, last year, Feeding America partnered with
America's dairy farmers
and milk companies to create
The Great American Milk Drive.
The program is designed to
deliver highly desired and nutrient-rich gallons
of milk to families and
children struggling with hunger and often most in need of milk.
The Great
American Milk Drive makes it easy for Americans
to make a difference in their
communities because donations stay local. Since it began,
The Great American
Milk Drive has delivered more than 325,000 gallons of milk to
families in need
throughout the country.June is National Dairy Month,
and this month – and all summer long – The
Great American Milk Drive is
on a mission to bring more fresh, nutritious milk
to children and families in
need in communities from coast to coast.
"Milk is an easy and affordable way to provide much needed nourishment
to
children who might otherwise miss out on it during the summer months,"
said
Michelle Dudash, registered dietitian and nutritionist.
"Many people don't
realize that milk provides nine essential nutrients,
including eight grams of
high-quality protein in each eight-ounce glass and is the top food
source of
calcium, vitamin D and potassium."
Dairy Farmers and Milk Companies Unite on June 16In addition to
the ongoing donation ollection for The Great American Milk Drive, on
June 16,
dairy farmers and milk companies
will come together to ask America to join them
in helping kids this summer,
doubling donations*
made on that day and
distributing them to Feeding America's network
of 200 food banks.
You can join
the drive by donating at
milklife.com/give and follow
the conversation online
with
#MilkDrive.
"The nutrients in milk are so important for all kids," said Julia Kadison,
CEO of the Milk Processor Education Program.
"That's why, this summer, we're
focused on powering the play of children in
local communities across the country
by encouraging much-needed,
nutrient-rich milk donations.
And, on June 16, The
Great American Milk Drive will double those donations.*"
Making a Difference in Your CommunityIt's quick and easy to power
the play of children in need in your community with a small donation at
milklife.com/give.
A gift of as little as $5 will deliver a
gallon of milk to a family in need in your
community who does not have regular
access to it. By entering your
zip code, you can ensure that milk is deliverey from the farm to a local Feeding
America food bank in your very own
community.
About Feeding America Feeding America is a nationwide network of
200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States.
Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food
pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding
America also
supports programs that improve food security among the
people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger;
and advocates for legislation that
protects people from going hungry.
Individuals, charities, businesses and
government all have a role in ending hunger.
Donate. Volunteer. Advocate.
Educate. Together we can solve hunger.
Visit
www.feedingamerica.org, find us on
Facebook or follow us on
Twitter.
About MilkPEPThe Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP),
Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk companies, who are
committed to
increasing fluid milk consumption.
The MilkPEP Board runs the Milk Life
campaign, a multi-faceted
campaign designed to educate consumers about the
powerful nutritional
benefits of milk – with 9 essential nutrients, including high-quality protein,
in each 8 ounce glass. For more information, go to
milklife.com.
Campbell Ewald is creative agency for the Milk Life campaign –
from America's milk companies.
About National Dairy Council
National Dairy Council® (NDC), the
non-profit organization founded by dairy farmers, is
committed to nutrition
education and research-based communications. NDC provides
science-based
nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders
committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals,
educators,
school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media.
Established in 1915,
NDC comprises a staff of registered dietitians and
nutrition research and communications
experts across the country. NDC is
committed to promoting child health and wellness
through programs such as Fuel
Up to Play 60. Developed by NDC and
the National Football League (NFL), Fuel Up
to Play 60 encourages
youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at l
east
60 minutes of physical activity every day. For more information,
isit
www.NationalDairyCouncil.org.
*On June 16, The Great American Milk Drive will match all online
donations, up
to a value of $10,000.
CONTACT:
Krissy Zotaley
312.988.2234
In Wild Life, Molly Gloss has combined interests from her previous fiction: western history, women's lives, and the fantastic. The result is a fascinating, beautifully written, thought-provoking meditation on wildness of all sorts. Gloss's main character is a turn-of-the-century writer of scientific romances; her life and her writing are transformed when she ventures away from her Columbia River home to look for a lost child in the forests of the Cascade Mountains. The book alters, too, from light-hearted satire to desperate adventure to re-entry into the human community. Gloss has much to say about the way people in the West come to terms with the natural environment and with their own darker impulses. A beautiful book.
